"I think when your friends break up you just choose the one you like most"
Latest opening at Marrickville's fabulous Depot Theatre is the Sydney premiere of Australian Wayne Tunks' play "Things Not To Do After A Breakup".
It is a hilarious, lighthearted, tongue in cheek production that follows the disastrous love lives of a group of friends who are just trying to work things out like the rest of us. It begins with Lauren (Lara Lightfoot), newly single, dumped by not only her boyfriend but also her literary agent and utterly devastated.
There are desperate declarations that "we're all going to die horribly alone", prolific use of the amusing insult "f*ckface" and a teary breakfast of cornflakes and vodka. The whole thing is very soap opera but with enough self awareness to make it delightfully engaging.
In her post break up misery, Lauren attempts multiple coping strategies, most disastrous, prompting the realisation that the best way to get over Gideon is to write a book of rules, "Things Not To Do After A Breakup". Needless to say, most rules are ignored.
Meanwhile, her ex boyfriend Gideon (Gil Balfas) and troop of friends are busy with their own messy love lives, bar encounters, drunken escapades and teary regrets.
Amy Victoria Brooks is a particular standout as Kelly, a true relationship disaster whose raunchy seduction and obsessive pursuit of new interests is as hammed up a performance as can be imagined and never fails to elicit a laugh from the audience. Kelly's break up tradition is wallowing in power ballads, and her outbursts in song at numerous points of the show are brilliant.
Speaking of, the soundtrack and in particular the short clips between scenes are just perfect - you can imagine yourself in Kelly's mind.
Writer and producer Wayne Tunks also portrays the character of Damian, a former boyband singer who once made it to number 11 on the charts, but now is just as messily single and inebriated as the rest of them. He is the stereotypically camp member of the social group (though exaggerated with such exuberance that it pokes fun at rom-com predictability) who, while slinging glass after glass (or bottle) of bubbly, dishes out most of the sharpest one-liners.
Another special mention must go to Tom Harwood, who covers all five of the minor characters of the play, each ridiculous in their own way and all attracting a giggle or few.
Indeed the whole cast give their all in lighthearted portrayal of the ridiculous characters with their over dramatic social lives.
It's not high brow, it's bloody hilarious. Laughs all round and a fabulous way to spend an evening.
Tunks Productions' Things Not To Do After A Breakup is at The Depot Theatre Marrickville until June 16. Click here for more details and tickets.
Writer/Producer: Wayne Tunks. Director: Emma Louise
Cast: Amy Victoria Brooks, Sareena Barnes, Tristan Lewis-Upton, Lara Lightfoot, Wayne Tunks, Gil Balfas, Tom Harwood.
Images: Bree Bain Photography
